Overview of Harappan Civilization

The time period from 6000 BCE to 1300 BCE, encompassing the development and decline of the Indus Valley Civilization.

The earliest phase of the Indus Valley Civilization, spanning from 6000 BCE to 2600 BCE, characterized by the formation of early settlements and agricultural practices.

The most prosperous and urbanized phase of the Indus Valley Civilization, lasting from 2600 BCE to 1900 BCE, featuring well-planned cities, standardized weights, and a flourishing trade network.

The period from 1900 BCE to 1300 BCE marked by the decline of the Indus Valley Civilization, characterized by changes in settlement patterns and cultural practices.

The distinctive pottery, seals, weights, and artifacts associated with the Indus Valley Civilization, found across a wide geographical area.

Specialized scientists who analyze ancient plant remains to reconstruct past dietary habits and agricultural practices.

Specialized scientists who study animal bones to reconstruct past environments, diets, and animal domestication practices.

The key crops cultivated by the Harappans, reflecting their diverse agricultural practices.

Objects of daily use, made from common materials like stone or clay. Examples include pottery, tools, and needles.

Objects that are rare, made from expensive materials, or require specialized skills to create.

A material made from ground silica, mixed with color, gum, and fired.

Objects that are buried with the deceased.

A technique archaeologists use to understand social differences in past societies by examining the types of objects found in burials or archaeological sites.

The process of preparing land for planting crops, often involving digging furrows and scattering seeds.

The use of oxen for ploughing, suggesting the Harappans employed animals to assist in farming.

A carefully planned arrangement of streets and drains, intersecting at right angles, likely as a way to manage water flow and waste.

Large, rectangular tanks with brick walls and steps, designed for holding and channeling water.

Evidence of deliberate city planning with standardized brick sizes and a systematic layout of buildings.

A large, fortified area within the Harappan cities, likely used for administrative or religious purposes.

The main living area of an Harappan city, located below the Citadel, with houses and streets.

A practice where the dead were buried in pits, sometimes lined with bricks for a more elaborately prepared burial.

The possibility that variations in burials (such as brick-lining) might indicate social differences within the Harappan society.

Tools used by the Harappans to harvest crops, potentially including stone blades set in wooden handles.

Evidence suggesting that the Harappans practiced agriculture, likely including the use of oxen for ploughing.

Examples of residential buildings in the Harappan city of Mohenjodaro, often featuring courtyards, private rooms, and well-designed bathrooms.

The practice of burying wealth with the dead, potentially indicating beliefs about the afterlife.

A large, fortified city in the Indus Valley, known for its elaborate drainage system and carefully planned layout.

A type of construction where buildings are raised on platforms, creating a higher, more secure area within a city.